Electric switch apparatus.



F. D. MORRIS.

ELECTRIC SWITCH APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 18. 1913.

1,185,123. Patented May 30, 1916.

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gnucnloz ml WW UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

FRANK D. MORRIS, F CRESTON, IOWA.

ELECTRIC SWITCH APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK D. MORRIS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Creston, in the county of Union and State of Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric SwitchApparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to distributing boards for electric current andthe primary object thereof is to provide a single apparatus capable ofoperating two instruments, either singly or together; to reduce thenumber of parts and joints of such apparatus; .to diminish the number ofcontact surfaces; to economize in labor and material; andto. improvegenerally the construction and arrangement of the several parts of thesaid apparatus.

A further object of the present invention contemplates the provision ofan electric switch apparatus or distributing board wherein a pluralityof switch levers are arranged and electrically connected in such a noveland peculiar manner as to combine in a single organization means wherebytwo independent instruments may be operated at one and the same time oreither independent of the other.

The above and additional objects are accomplished by such means as areillustrated in their preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings,described in the following specification and then more particularlypointed out in the claims which are appended hereto and form a part ofthis application.

In describing my invention in detail reference will be had to theaccompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like orcorresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1is a top plan view of a swltch board constructed in accordance with thepresent invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; and Fig. 3 isa section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring nowto the drawlngswherem is illustrated the'preferredembodiment of my invention the numeral 1 designates an insulating boardor base to which the apparatus comprising the present invention 1sattached. Adjacent one end of the board 1, and fixedly secured theretoin any suitable manner, I provide a substantially U-shaped plate member2, the same being seated with- Specification of Letters Patent.

in a cut out portion 3 of the said base, the extensions of the saidmember 2 extending vertically as at 4, one upon each side of the base 1.A binding post 5 is carried by the sa d plate member 2, the said bindingpost being preferably seated within the cut out portion 3 as isillustrated to advantage in Fig. 2 of the drawings, thereby providingfor the attachment of a positive conductor 6 thereto.

A second or substantially U-shaped plate member 7 is arranged in spacedrelation to the top of the base 1, the extensions of the said U-shapedmember 7 being supported in parallel spaced relation to the extensions 4of the plate member above mentioned. A bridge plate 8 is secured to thetop of the base 1, one extremity of the said bridge plate 8 projectingbeyond the edge of the said base, the projected portion supporting abinding post '9 to which the negative conductor 10 is attached. Theplate member 7 is secured fixedly as at 11 to the bridge portion of thesaid member 8 directly over and in spaced relation to the plate member2, no conductor of electricity however being provided therebetween.

Pivoted as at 12 to the extensions 4 of the plate member 2 and as at 13to the extensions of the plate member 7, I provide a switch lever 14,the plate of each lever,(there being two) connectlng respectively oneextension of the plate member 2 with the adjacent extension of the platemember! as is clearly indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

lontact plates 15, of which there are four in the present instance, aredisposed in the path of the switch levers 14, one contact plate beingprovided 'for each blade of the said levers, the said contact platesbeing secured in any suitable manner upon the upper or outer face of theswitch base 1.

A positive conductor 16 is connected to one- Patented May 30, 1916. Q

Application filed October 18, 1913. Serial No. 795,986. 7

described thereby providing for the conducting of the current to thelower plate 'member 7, then to the bridge plate 8 and the negativeconductor 10.

The other switch lever 14 electrically connects the plate members 2 and7 in the same manner as that just described, thereby providing for theoperation of a second or independent in'strument (not shown) eitherindependent of or together with the instrument first mentioned.

Having described fully the construction of the distributing board orswitch apparatus, it now remains to set forth a little more fully thepatlrof the electric current to and from the said apparatus. Vhen it isdesired that the two instruments be electrically connected to thedistributing board,to be operated at one and the same time, both switchlevers 14 are swung into contact with the plate member 15. The electriccurrent enters the distributing board through the positive conductor 6and the comparatively large plate member 2, the said plate memberconveying the current to the outer blade of the switch levers 14 throughthe conductor 16, binding post 18 and wire 19 to the instrument actedupon the negative current reentering to the distributing board throughthe wire 20. binding post 21, conductor 22 and the opposite blade of thelevers 14 to the comparatively small plate member 7 where it is conveyedby the bridge plate 8 to the negativeconductor-10. lVhen 'it is desiredthat a single instrument should be operated, that is, one instrumentindependent of the other, one of the switch levers 14 is swung-out ofcontact with the plate member 15 provided therefor thereby causing theelectric current to enter the board through the positive conductor 6where it is conveyed to either of the switch plates, one of the saidplates being in engagement with the contact plate 15provided and thenceto the instrument and back to the negative conductor 10 in the mannerabove set forth. By disconnecting both switch levers from the contactplate 15, it is apparent that both instruments are rendered inoperative.

From the above, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, itwill be seen that two independent electrically operated instruments maybe operated either singly or together; that the number of conductors forsupplying the electric current to the sald switch apparatus is reducedto a mlnimum; and that the switch levers are so connected as todistribute the electric current from a single positive conductor in amanner necessary to the operatlon or two independent instruments.

In reduction to practice, I have found that the form of my invention,illustrated in the adoption of my device will necessarily vary, I desireto emphasize the fact that various minor changes in details ofconstruction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to,when required, without sacrificing any of the advantages of myinvention, as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto se cure by Letters Patent, is

1. An electric switch apparatus including an insulated base, a-platemember mounted to fit a groove therefor formed in the under side of saidbase, extensions formed at the terminals of said plate member to engagewith and extend above the longitudinal sides of said base, a secondplate member mounted upon the opposite side of said base, a plurality ofswitch levers, one blade of each lever having connection with said platemembers, and contact plates mounted on said base with which the leversengage, substantially as described.

2. An electric switchapparatus including an insulated base, the saidbase having a cut out portion formed in the under face thereof, asubstantially U-shaped plate member seated within the said cut outportion. the extensions of the said plate member extending vertically inparallel spaced relation. one upon each side of the said base, aplurality of switch levers, one blade of .each lever being pivotallyconnected to the said plate member, contact plates carried by the saidbase with which the said blades are disposed for engagement, a secondsubstantially U-shaped comparatively small plate member supported uponthe upper face of the said. base in spaced relation to the said firstmentioned plate member, a bridge plate forming a support for the saidlast mentioned plate member, one blade of each of the said levers beingpivotally connected to the said last mentioned plate member, and contactplates carried by the said base with which the said last mentionedblades are disposed for engagement, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence. of two witnesses.

FRANK n MoRRis.

Witnesses:

K. G. CORNELL, J. S. CAMP.

